We Fought Together
by tiger-lily-1130
Summary: Jack is a former soldier trying to find his center again. Elsa is a widow afraid to feel. Together, can they help overcome the pain of loss? Jelsa AU. I do not own Rise of the Guardians or Frozen, nor do I claim to. Rated T for violence, and suggestive chapters.
1. Prologue

**Hi there! This is an AU Jelsa fic. Sad things to come, I apologize. This prologue will be the shortest part of this story, but please review, and enjoy!**

_Prologue_

The one thing that Jack could remember as a child clear as day was his Uncle's funeral. Jack was five, and yet the image of the procession of men in uniform, all adorned with their shiny metals, seemed to stick in his mind. It was the same uniform his father stood in, and the same uniform that he hoped to once day wear. Specifically what his Uncle had done in that uniform he did not know, though he knew he had died serving and defending his country. It was at that age that Jack had made a life-changing decision. It was the respect show from the guests that helped that decision to formulate in his mind. It was a decision that would change his life forever.

* * *

It had started in a fifth grade class room. Two boys had been seated next to each other and made partners, though they didn't realize that partnership would last for many years. One of the boys, Jack, was teased endlessly about his pale complexion and platinum hair. The other, Jamie, was teased endlessly about his name. These two boys had a special bond that made them feel like brothers, and together were able to ignore the rude commentary of their classmates.

Jamie had come from an adopted family of two retired military members, while Jack himself spent years watching his father coming in and out from deployments. These two boys spent years trying on their fathers uniforms, playing war, and only imaging that the name tags read _their_ names. Right out of high school graduation, their dreams became reality.

It had been with their families' support that they had enlisted, but when their enlistment entered it's second year, they began to regret their decision. In January of 2012 their unit was sent out for deployment, and a hell full of sand became their new home.

* * *

The camouflaged M16 was cocked and pointed towards the target at hand. Jack Frost couldn't feel more at home than he did wearing that uniform and holding that gun. A hand signal from his peripheral vision signaled his motion forward, and onward he jogged to the next position. He stopped in his tracks.

One shot, one kill straight to the head,

"Damn Frost... are you _ever _going to miss?" The voice of his best friend Jamie rang out, loud and clear and Jack let out a laugh.

"If I missed, I wouldn't keep getting promoted now would I?" Jack replied grabbing the target he had struck. A hole shown light right through the head of the black figure on the paper. He held it up, showing his comrades the paper as well as his cockiness.

Jamie approached him, patting him on the back. "Now, the question is... if that were a _real_ person, would you still get that lucky?"

He was always challenging Jack. To them, everything was a competition from the day they joined. As seriously as they took their jobs, they took the opportunity to work together as a chance to brighten their days.

They walked back together to their tent kicking up sand. Jack took the chance to give a rebuttal. He didn't speak but dropped his equipment, grabbed Jamie, and wrestled him to the floor.

"I could hit the target _and _still kick your ass!" Exclaimed Jack, putting Jamie (who struggled) into a headlock.

It wasn't until they heard a loud, "SOLDIERS!", that they broke apart and stood, hands tight at their sides. They both let out a, "YES SIR!".

Their sergeant approached them, his stern face unchanging. "When you boys are done playing with each other, we run a patrol tonight."

Their groans echoed in unison.


	2. Chapter 1: Memories

Jack sat at the edge of his bed, fingertips digging into the wooden frame. A year and a half had passed since the death of his best friend, and everyday it felt like yesterday. One hand lifted and he felt the shadow of hair on his face, the grown out blonde hair on his head. His fingers ran down the side of his face and fell to his knee where the scar of a bullet would lay forever engraved. The wound matched another in his abdomen, both a constant reminder of his last night patrol.

He sighed and cupped his face between both hands, the sounds of the explosive ringing still in his ears. He remembered being propelled back, remembered the blood trickling down his face from the cut in his eyebrow. What happened directly after was a blur. A few shots... an ambush. He remembered the bloodcurdling scream, and knew after he heard it that his worst fears had come true. He had turned his head only to see Jamie laying in a pool of his own blood, the hands of another soldier trying to stop the blood from spilling any further. It had taken everything in Jack to get up and make it to his friends side only to watch him choke and gasp for life.

Jack remembered the look on his face every night. The only thing he didn't remember was getting shot. But he did.

Jack, lost in his memories, didn't even notice the figure at his door. His mother stood watching him, her cheek pressed against the door frame, her eyes full of love and compassion for her son. He hated seeing her look at him like that. _Pity. _It wasn't something he wanted, or needed. He hurriedly wiped the tears that were creeping out from the corners of his eyes and struggled to stand, using the bed for support. A pain shot up his leg, and he gritted his teeth, turning his face away.

"Jack sweetheart, did you want me to drive you to your appointment, or did you want to try and walk?" His mothers voice, both sweet and kind, spoke to him from the door, breaking him of his own thoughts.

'Appointments'. He hated when they called them that. More like torture being forced to sit in a shrinks office while they went on about something called 'PTSD'.

_"It's very common among soldiers." _His therapist would repeat. Jack had informed him many times that it was _also_ very common among soldiers to stick a boot up the enemies ass.

Jack's blue eyes scanned the floor until he found the item he looked for. Leaning down, he grabbed a blue sweatshirt from a pile of clothes, and ignoring the musty smell of it, slipped it on. He muttered a simple, "I'll walk.", and grabbed the wooden cane that hung from his door handle. Mindlessly, he slipped on his sneakers and left the home without another word.

Though he knew he should have been heading in the direction of his therapist, he walked the opposite way in the direction of the military cemetery.

* * *

His best friends grave was simple, and he was upset to find the lack of flowers there. Jack stood in front of the two foot tall stone that bared the message:

' Jamie Bennett '  
' August 20th, 1992 - January 17th, 2012 '  
' Remembered for his service to his country'

Pain shot through him, but this time in his chest. He fell to his knees letting out a cry. Jack's head fell in his hands his back shaking with sobs. It wasn't until he heard footsteps that he lifted his head.

A woman stood a few graves away, bending over to place an ornate bouquet of flowers in front of the stone. Her eyes flitted to Jacks and she gave him a quick look over. Through his tears, he couldn't help but notice her platinum white hair braided and hanging over her shoulder. Platinum like his. She was pampered by the looks of her, a baby blue silk dress hanging to her knees, hugging her curves, but flaring at the bottom. Jack looked back to his friends grave and heard the crunching of grass close to him.

"You doing okay?" He heard her say. Her voice sounded like music, light and beautiful.

He raised his head and let out a short laugh, more to himself than to her. "Yes, I'm fine. Thanks." He was sick of the constant pity from strangers, so he stood carefully, eyes shutting tightly to hide the pain shooting up his leg.

The woman didn't reply, but simply watched him with blue eyes, her arms crossing over her chest. She narrowed her eyes at him, something he couldn't help but notice.

"_What?_" Jack's tone became defensive. He stared at her, blue eyes looking into blue. He raised a scarred brow. Her gaze bore into him, making him feel uncomfortable.

The woman simply stepped forward to let her long pale fingers run over the letters in the stone.

"Your brother?" She said.

"Might as well have been." Jack replied.

Brothers. Jack could only imagine what having a real brother felt like, but he was sure Jamie had been the closest thing to it. He nodded towards the grave she had been at moments before.

"What about you?" He asked.

She let go of the grave, stood straight and turned her head. "Husband. Only married six months. Killed on a raid." Her voice didn't even crack. She seemed so calm. Jack could only wish he had that strength.

"I'm sorry. The good die young, you know?"

"That's what they tell me. Well, it was nice meeting you..." Her voice trailed off, fine eyebrows raised.

"Oh, Jack. Sorry." He reached out his free hand, gripping her own. She gave him a small smile.

"Jack. Strong name. It's nice to meet you. I'm Elsa." And after a firm shake, she left without another word.

* * *

_Elsa's hands were shaking. She was set on believing what they were telling her was not true. _

_"He can't be!" She heard herself scream. _

_"Honey...he's not coming home." Her father replied, his strong arms gripping her to keep her from falling apart at the seams. _

_A knock on the door and she stood, running to it. It had to be him, she just knew it! Only...when she opened the door, it wasn't. There was a soldier standing before her, his uniform torn at the chest. His head was down, the top of his crew cut visible. She reached out a hand to him, and as she did so, the white t-shirt beneath his torn uniform began to turn red. The red spread, faster and faster. His head snapped up, and she saw a newly familiar face staring at her. _

_The man from the graveyard._

Elsa awoke gasping for air. With all of her might, she tried to piece together parts of her nightmare. After moments though, she rolled over and fell back to sleep, her nightmare forgotten.


	3. Chapter 2: The Rain

Hours after the nightmare Elsa had experienced she awoke once more. Her blue eyes flitted to the clock at her bedside, and she watched as the minute clicked over, revealing the time to be 2:00am. With a groan, she pulled the blankets from her and sat on the side of the bed. Her room was unnaturally bare, with one single dresser, and one single picture frame sitting atop of it. Next to that frame was a lamp, with a barely noticeable ring sitting next to it. Absentmindedly, Elsa rubbed her finger and stood, wrapping her arms around herself.

Over to the window she walked, pulling the blue curtain aside. She watched the seemingly empty road, watched the flickering of the street light to her left. It was from that flicker she noticed a figure limping down the street.

* * *

Jack felt like he was losing his mind. It seemed he had been wandering outside for hours. His phone buzzed constantly in his pocket, which he assumed was from his parents. As a grown man, he didn't feel he had to explain himself to them, but he didn't want them to worry any longer. He was heading in the direction in his home when he stopped, giving his leg a break. The excruciating pain shot straight from his thigh to his foot, and he clutched his wooden cane tighter.

As he stood there, he saw a flash of lightning, heard the clap of thunder and watched as the heavens opened to pour rain down on him. It was only now that he regretted his escape from home. He tried to walk faster, but his limping slowed him down.

"HEY!" He almost couldn't hear the loud scream coming from a house to his left. Narrowing his eyes, he was just able to distinguish the figure that he had met earlier in the day. She motioned for him to get inside, waving her arm in the air. Without a thought, he hobbled as quickly as he could to her porch and limped up the stairs to her door.

Jack made to look at her, but averted his eyes at her in her nightdress. The time he had looked however was enough time to see her beautiful figure in a silk night gown that ended at her thighs. "Um," He began uncomfortably, "Thank you...you normally stand outside your door at two in the morning?" His voice shook at the end, a chill running down his back as the air conditioning hit him.

Quick on her feet, she snatched a heavy wool blanket hanging from the back of her couch and hung it over his shoulders. He gave her a nod of thanks.

"Do you normally walk around in the streets at two in the morning?" She snapped back, arms crossing over her chest.

He let out a soft chuckle, looking down at his soaked boots. "Only every night." He whispered. He leaned against the closed door and shook off his shoes, pushing them with his toe to the side of the door. After a few steps, he began to take in her home. Her items were very neat, everything in place, the majority of the walls empty. He noticed for a moment a picture of a man in uniform, his arms around her. He also couldn't help but notice her enlarged belly beneath the dress she wore in the photo. However, due to the lack of baby-like objects in his sight, he didn't mention it. Another photo showed Elsa and a woman with reddish hair, both smiling. A sister maybe.

He let his eyes reach back to her, being careful not to let them trail down farther than her face. "Well, if you don't mind... I'll just hang out right here until it stops raining so hard." Jack said quietly.

Elsa gave him a small smile again and disappeared into what he assumed was the kitchen. He continued to stand in that spot and heard her yell from the new room, "There's no rush. I'll make tea!"

After a moment, he went to follow her, the blanket still slung over his shoulders. "So," He began "You live alone then?"

"Yes. We had bought the house just before his deployment. I never really finished furnishing, sorry." Elsa replied, putting up a pot of water.

"No it looks great, I mean... it's fine." As he spoke, Jack sat at the small four person table. He heard the sheets of rain beating on the windows and for moments the two of them stayed silent. The only thing that broke the silence was the sound of the whistling teapot on the stove.

Elsa jumped to fetch two mugs, and in a few moments, Jack had a steaming cup of hot tea placed before him. The warm tendrils of vapor that hit his face felt wonderful.

Sitting in the chair opposite him, Elsa crossed her legs and let her fingers drum on the table. She stared at him, narrowed her eyes and said quickly, "What happened to you?"

Jack stared at the cup as the ringing in his ears began. His hand raised, and he ran it through the blonde growing hair. He needed a cut. "I um.." He saw his friends lifeless eyes. "I got shot... in the stomach, and in the leg." Another imagine in his head, one of the other soldiers trying to stop his friends bleeding. He let his eyes shoot up to hers, and those images dissipated.

* * *

Why was she letting this man sit in her kitchen? Of course, she couldn't let him stand in the rain, but... there was something else.

The way he spoke reminded her of herself, though she would never admit it aloud. Had he not been a few graves down from her earlier in the day, she would have been on her knees crying, telling herself to try and conceal the fear and pain. Seeing him there though, she couldn't help but try to feel strong for him.

"I'm sorry Jack. That must have been horrible." She said, her voice calm.

He didn't answer, but she was sure there was more to his story.

"The rain doesn't look like it's letting up anytime soon, and to be honest... you look exhausted. Why don't you crash on the couch?"

He just nodded, and the corner of his mouth lifted giving her what she assumed was a smile.

"Okay, well I'll just go get things set up." She stood in a mindless way, lost in thought. She knew his clothes were soaked, and so for the first time in a year, she reached into that top drawer that held her husbands clothes.

* * *

Jack stood and made his way to the couch where he tugged off his t-shirt. His physique was not as maintained as he would have liked, and the blemish in his abdomen that was a bullet scar made him self conscious. His fingers dragged over the scar as they always did, triggering another flashback.

_There he lay, bright lights shining in his eyes. Was this heaven? No. It smelt too much like cleaner. Someone was yelling his name. He felt drugged...numb._

_Someone yelled, "Don't you DARE give up!" _

_"Jamie...where's Jamie...?" Even to him, his voice sounded slurred. _

_He tried to move his legs. Why couldn't he move his legs?! _

_"He's trying to move doctor!" Someone else yelled. Another voice said closer to him, "Soldier... lie still. You've been shot." _

_The quick pinch of a needle piercing his skin. Ouch. _

_He tried lifting his head, but it was getting heavier and heavier. _

_"He's losing too much blood!" _

The sound of footsteps brought him back, and he turned quickly to see Elsa staring at him, a t-shirt and gym shorts in her hands.

* * *

It had been a long time since Elsa had had a man in her house, especially one who was half-naked. Since her husbands death, it hadn't felt right.

Now however, she couldn't help but stare at the former soldiers partially bare body as wounded as it was. She didn't speak, but simply approached him with the clothes. With her free hand, she placed her fingertips on his abdomen and felt him withdraw slightly. She let the tips of her fingers touch his scar where the bullet had entered him.

Bemused by his emotionless face, she let her blue eyes move around his face. She saw the other scar on his eyebrow, and reached up to touch that as well.

"Looks like you had a rough time Jack." She let her hand fall and turned away placing the garments on the couch. Had he felt it too? Had he felt the spark that went through her when she touched him? It went straight through her, igniting the flame that had died at her husbands funeral. Along with the lighting of that flame came a wave of guilt that doused it as she turned.

"Sleep tight Jack." And as she heard his soft, 'Goodnight' from behind her, she hurried into her room.


	4. Chapter 3: Broken

In the early hours of the next morning, Jack awoke, blinking to remove the sleep from his eyes. With a glance around, he was able to piece the information of why he was there together. It felt nice to wake up somewhere new, somewhere where he didn't have to deal with his parents trying to take care of him.

He stood, stretching and letting out a groan as his body greeted him with stiffness. After ruffling his platinum hair, he removed the t-shirt she had given him and folded it neatly on the couch.

Suddenly, without warning he heard the lock on the door jiggle and then burst open. An uppity redhead came through the door, holding two coffees and a bag of what he assumed was some sort of breakfast. She stood before him, her eyebrows raised, and her blue eyes wide. She stood in workout gear, her red hair braided into two pigtails that lay over each shoulder.

"Um..." She began.

He furrowed his brow, before recognizing her from the picture on the wall. "Ah, i'm sorry. I'm Jack." He started forward, reaching out a hand.

She took a step back. "Aha. Random man, half naked in my sister's living room. What are you doing here? Did you break in? She doesn't have nice things to steal you know!" She spoke quickly, holding her bag of food out like a weapon.

He let out a small laugh, the first in a long time. "No, i'm not... breaking in. Why would I break in without a shirt on?" Jack rolled his eyes, reaching for the shirt again to put it back on.

"Then what are you doing here?!"

"I met your sister yesterday and -"

"Oh my god! Are you her boyfriend?!" She exclaimed, her expression going from wary to excited.

"What? No I'm -"

"Ooh. You are cute! A little too-"

"ANNA!" Both heads turned to the opened bedroom door where Elsa stood in a zipped up blue track jacket and black yoga pants. Her hair was once again braided over her shoulder, and she held another pair of clothes in her hands.

"Jack, here. You look like his size, your clothes were still wet so I'm washing them." Elsa said, holding out a pair of jeans and another shirt.

"Thank you. Nice to meet you Anna." Said Jack, and with a small smile he hobbled into the bathroom nearest him to change.

* * *

"_Elsa_" Anna whispered, "_Why is there a very good-looking man in your house?_"

"Why are you whispering Anna?" Elsa giggled, grabbing one of the coffees and sitting at the table in the kitchen.

"Did you sleep with him?" Anna exclaimed, placing her coffee in front of her, and resting her chin in both hands.

Elsa rolled her eyes and let out a short laugh. "No, Anna. I met him yesterday, he was out in the rain last night... I invited him in. He's a nice guy... he was a soldier too." She let her voice trail off, looking to her hands.

"Alright, I'm going to head home. I'll return these to you as soon as I can Elsa, and thank you again." Jack stepped into the kitchen, wooden cane in hand.

"Bye Jack..." Elsa said with a caring smile.

He nodded his head to both ladies and turned to leave, knowing his mother was going to give him a hell of a talk when he got home.

* * *

As he suspected, his mother was home waiting tapping her foot against the floor as he walked inside. However, the lecture he had gotten from her was almost unnoticed compared to the thoughts running through his head. It wasn't until she began to cry that he finally paid attention.

With a look of pain in her eyes she said, "Jack, I don't know what to do with you anymore! You stopped seeing the physical therapists, you wont see your psychiatrist... you're like a zombie!"

It was true. He felt like a zombie, everyday.

His mom sat at the kitchen table, her finger tips trailing on the wooden patterns. He sat with her and grabbed her hand, the first sign of affection he had shown his mom in a long time.

"Please," She whispered, "I need you to get better. Please Jack. I need my son back."

* * *

Jack hated going to the psychiatrist. The room the patients sat in was always a reminder of how much money they would be paying this man at the end of their treatment. Dark paint on the walls and ornate cherry wood furniture decorated the room. Always the random plant that sat on a side table, a sign that life was still going on. Then of course, across from the ornate chair in which the psychiatrist sat was a large sofa where Jack would prop up his leg and sit.

"What do you remember?" Said Dr. North, his Russian accent probing. He was a large man, his face mostly covered with a grey beard and rosy cheeks. He was someone Jack assumed would probably be jolly if he hadn't had to deal with depressed patients all of the time.

What didn't he remember? Aside from getting shot, everything was crystal clear. The bomb, the shouting, the pain, the blood...Jamie's face.

"Your family is worried about you, and frankly so am I." The man _sounded_ worried, but Jack knew he couldn't really be. What did he care?

His eyes shot open and he let out a harsh laugh. "You don't fool me Doc. You sit here and you act like you know what it's like. You act like you've been there, like you've seen people get ripped apart. How should I act? Happy? Well I'm not. You're not going to fix me, so stop trying!" He stood, grabbing his cane and hobbling to the door. Dr. North didn't respond, but as he left he gave him a quick glance back to see him looking defeated.

* * *

It was only because of his mother that he went to the rehabilitation center to be evaluated. Though he didn't care much about it, his mother was the one person who could get through to him. He wanted her to be proud of him again, not depressed all of the time.

He sat in the waiting room, watching patients come and go. Some didn't look as though they needed rehab at all, while others sat in wheelchairs, their legs brittle from disuse. He felt uncomfortable sitting in this room with these people who needed help. He remembered being able to push himself, run for miles, and not feel winded.

"Frost? Jack Frost?" He heard a woman's voice call his name, and with some effort he stood, his cane helping him to the door.

The nurse attempted to make small conversation with him, mainly about his name in reference to the 'winter spirit'. He just ignored her, until she left him at this therapists area. He let a small smile flit onto his face when he saw who his therapist was, the blonde with the fishtail braid.

"Elsa..." He said, his smile turning more into a grin. It felt foreign to him. "I would have brought the clothes if I knew you were going to be the one torturing me."

Elsa let out a small laugh, cocking her hip and placing her hand on it. "I just can't get rid of you can I soldier?"

"Guess not...so, you're my psychical therapist?"

She patted the table in front of her. "Yes I am. Now sit."

As he sat , she leaned down, grabbing his leg and feeling the muscle, her brow furrowed in concentration. She lifted it, bending it at the knee and heard the sharp intake of air from him. She let her eyes move to his face and frowned.

"I'm sorry. I have to do this.." She said. "When's the last time you've had rehabilitation on this?"

He frowned and looked away feeling ashamed at himself. "I stopped once I was released from the hospital. So, about a year and three months ago." He knew the reprimand was coming, and he waited for it. To his surprise and delight however, she simply smiled.

"Alright, let's go for a walk."

* * *

The summer breeze pushed past Jack and Elsa, giving them a reprieve from the heat. They had been walking for almost forty five minutes when they decided they should turn back and head back to the the rehabilitation center. There had been little conversation, as it had mostly been Elsa observing how he walked, and then speaking into a small recorder. It wasn't until the end that Jack spoke up, looking at her from the corner of his eye.

"Don't think I'm trying to ask you out or anything, but can I maybe treat you to dinner sometime?" He said, and awaited her reaction. She saw that she stopped in her tracks for just a moment, before she began to walk again and took a deep breath.

"Hm. I'm not much for going out to eat..." She said quietly, looking lost in thought. "Even better, you could come over and cook for me? Maybe even invite Anna..." She looked at him now from the corner of her eyes and bit her bottom lip. She didn't want to admit that she didn't want to be seen out with another man for dinner in public. It was a smaller town after all.

"Can't say i'm much of a good cook, but I can try." He replied, not questioning her new plan.

"Tomorrow night fine?" She turned to face him, dropping her recorder to her side and smiling at him.

He stared at her, looking over her features and smiled once again for the third time that day. "It sounds great."


	5. Chapter 4: Dinner

**A/N: Thank you guys for your reviews. :) I know i'm updating this a lot right now, but you know when it's in your head, you have to get it out! This chapter will provide some back story. Also, long chapter! Please enjoy.**

* * *

Jack's mother watched as he limped back and forth from his closet, to his mirror, over and over for at least an hour. She sat outside of the door in a chair that had been pulled up, and behind her stood his father. The two of them couldn't wipe the confusion off of their faces as their son showed some of the aspects of him that had been lost for too long.

All they knew was that he had come home from his therapy in brighter spirits than they had seen him in since before his deployment. Why though he was changing his outfit over and over requesting his parents to tell him how he looked, they did not know. However, since this meant he was actually _doing_ something, they did not care what the reason was.

Jack stopped in front of them for the tenth time wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and a pair of dark jeans. "What about this one?" He said, raising both eyebrows.

"Son.." His father began, taking off his glasses to clean them on his shirt. "Your mother and I love you, and have _never_ had an issue with your quirks, but may I ask _why_ you have decided to model for us?"

Jack rolled his eyes and sat down on his bed. "I'm going to my physical therapists to cook her dinner tomorrow night. I don't want to look like I just rolled out of bed in the same clothes I've been wearing."

His parents both perked up.

"A girl?" His mom exclaimed. She looked back at her husband, who shared the same look of incredulity.

Jack held up a hand to both of them, letting out a soft laugh. "It's not... like that. I met her yesterday, she's where I was last night - no mom, not like _that_ - I told you, it was raining, she let me stay on her couch. Then I find out this morning she's my physical therapist."

"Sounds like fate to me son." Said his father, before he turned to leave, a smile on his face.

* * *

Elsa sat curled up on her sofa, her sister next to her. They both held a cup of hot chocolate, the steam rising into their noses.

"Mmm. Chocolate..." They both exclaimed, before giggling.

Since Elsa's husband had died, Anna had spent the majority of her time at her home, keeping her company. Each day was the same. Elsa would wake to Anna bringing coffee and breakfast, and they would go for a run. After a hard day of work (Elsa at the rehabilitation center, and Anna at school.) Elsa would curl up on the couch, and a few days a week Anna would sneak away to join her.

Lately, however, Anna had begun seeing someone and while she would still make it over one or twice a week, it left Elsa feeling lonely and missing her sister.

"So," Elsa began after taking a sip of her hot chocolate, "How is Kristoff?"

Anna took a gulp of her hot chocolate, leaving a brown mustache in its wake that she ignored. "Oh, he's good. Better than that _last_ jerk I dated. I really want you to meet him Elsa.. I think you'll like him."

Elsa stared at her sister, smiling. "Oh, how about tomorrow night? You can bring him over. Jack, the guy from this morning? He's coming to cook me dinner." She ignored her sisters pointed stare.

"A man... is coming to cook you dinner?" Anna questioned.

"Yes, Anna. He's also my patient. Nothing more."

"Why can't it be something more?"

"Anna... you know why. I-I can't. I tried dating remember?"

"But Elsa, he seems really nice!"

"I just met him! You just met him! You don't even know him!" Elsa felt something bubbling up inside of her. She felt that fear again, the fear of loneliness tipping over the edge.

"I always have good premonition about people!" Said Anna with a smile.

Elsa raised a brow at her. "Really... does Hans ring a bell?"

"That was one time."

"Anna, enough is enough! He's just cooking dinner! AH!" In her excitement she tipped her mug, the warm liquid spilling onto her lap. With tears in her eyes, she jumped up running into the kitchen to clean the area.

She felt like she couldn't breathe. Of course, her family had pushed her to begin dating again, and each time it didn't feel right. She was afraid; afraid she would forget about him, and afraid that she would lose someone she loved again. Tears began to spill from her eyes and she sank to the ground again the cabinets.

"Elsa..." Anna peered into the kitchen and walked to her sister, sitting on the floor with her. "I'm sorry...I just want you to be happy."

"I know Anna," replied Elsa. "I want to be happy too."

And together they sat, hand in hand.

* * *

The next night Jack stood at the door, cane in one hand, a small bouquet of flowers in the other. _Thank you flowers, nothing more _He told himself. He had decided on just a regular dark blue t-shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He pushed the doorbell with a free pinky and stood patiently, waiting. Moments later, the door opened and Elsa stood there with a smile on her face.

She was the kind of woman who looked radiant in what ever she had on it seemed. Whether it was nightwear, scrubs, or the current light blue dress that flowed past her knees, she looked beautiful. Her hair was braided over her shoulder once again, and Jack noticed the small touch of makeup she had put on.

He pushed the flowers forward. "Here. Um, just...as a thank you. You know, for everything so far, and i'm sure everything to come."

She raised an eyebrow looking wary.

"Because... you know, you're my physical therapist." Jack said to her, smirking a bit at the relieved look on her face.

"They're beautiful Jack." Elsa said, taking them in her hands and pressing her nose to them. "Come in. Make yourself at home, Anna and her boyfriend should be here eventually." She disappeared into the kitchen again, he assumed to get a vase.

In he followed her to see the counters covered in different types of foods; raw chicken, vegetables ready to be sliced, bread, cans of tomatoes, and a large bottle of red wine sat waiting to be used.

"You said you weren't much of a cook, and I am... so I figured maybe we could make some chicken cacciatore? I'll show you how, we can do it together... it'll be fun." Elsa said, the vase of flowers now sitting in the center of her four person table, already covered with plates and cutlery.

Fun. Jack used to _love_ fun. In fact, before he had been deployed, he was known as the trickster of his unit. He hadn't had fun in a long, long time. He nodded to her and set his cane against the wall, using the counter to steady himself as he walked.

"And see, it's a good form of therapy too.." She winked at him.

Together, they began to cook. She showed him how to wash and clean the chicken, and he complained about how nasty it felt raw in his hands. They sliced peppers, mushrooms, and garlic together, and occasionally he would sneak a green pepper into his mouth. She giggled when he stared at the cans of tomatoes, confused which went first, and he laughed when she splashed sauce onto her face.

"Here, let me get that.." Still chuckling, Jack reached forward with a paper towel and wiped the red sauce from her cheek. She took a shuttering deep breath, to which he just smiled. "There, good as new." Lifting the paper towel, he showed her the sauce and then dumped it into the trash. "Now, what do we do?"

She stirred the cooking chicken and vegetables in the sauce before placing a cover atop of it. "We wait, and we drink this." She grabbed the bottle of red wine, popping the top with her wine opener and poured him a glass.

They were both smiling warmly at each other, clinking their glasses together when they heard the door open once more.

"Anna!" Elsa exclaimed and on cue, her sister popped into the kitchen dressed in a flowing green dress that fell close to her feet. A muscular blonde man followed behind her looking sheepish.

"Hi Elsa!" A quick hug for her sister, and she went behind the man and pushed him closer to them. "This is Kristoff! My boyfriend..." With a small bite of her bottom lip, Anna nudged Kristoff.

"Hi! Nice to meet you Elsa, I've heard a lot." Said Kristoff, reaching a large hand forward to shake Elsa's smaller hand. Kristoff turned to face Jack who had lifted the cover of the pot to stir the food more. "And nice to meet you..."

"OH, this is my friend Jack!" Said Elsa, who then raised a brow at Jack. "Why are you stirring it more, it's fine!" She said with a giggle, to which her sister looked confused.

Anna gave a small smile, standing back with Kristoff as she watched Jack and Elsa smile at each other. This, she knew, could turn out to be a very interesting night.

* * *

"So Jack, my sisters pretty huh?" Anna began, her plate and wine glass empty. Kristoff went to fetch another bottle of wine in the kitchen.

Jack coughed on his sip of wine, and Elsa smacked herself in the hand, glaring between her fingers at her redheaded sister. Jack looked to Elsa and back to Anna, and thankfully before he could answer Kristoff came back in.

"Got the other bottle!" He exclaimed, and he took his seat again, refilling his girlfriends glass.

"Answer me Jack." Anna said, smiling at his uncomfortable look.

"I uh..." Jack looked from Elsa to Anna, then back to Elsa. He let his eyes wander over her face, noting the way her large eyes looked vulnerable. "Yes, she's beautiful." He finished, letting out a deep breath he had been holding in. It didn't help that the amount of wine he had drank was starting to get to his head.

They spent the next couple of hours talking, Elsa mostly drilling Kristoff about what he did for a living and how he planned on taking care of her sister. Jack spent the time just watching, and any time Anna asked a question about him, Elsa would change the subject. As the hours passed, Anna, Elsa, and Jack became tipsier, while Kristoff sat smirking at them all.

"I think it's about time I take this little drunkard home." He finally said, Anna falling fast asleep against his shoulder.

"CHOCOLATE!" She screamed, sitting alert before her eyes began to droop again.

"Yes, I think that's best." Elsa replied, smiling. She stood and gave Kristoff a one armed hug, while Jack shook his hand. They both watched as Kristoff lifted and carried Anna to his car, the door closing behind him.

Elsa turned to face Jack and saw that he had already went into her kitchen, taking the four plates with him. She stood against the door frame and watched as he rinsed and placed them into her dishwasher.

"What are you doing?" She said softly, the wine slurring her speech. She saw him turn his head and smirk at her, his back shaking with a chuckle. Without getting an answer, she pushed the dishwasher closed, and leaned against it. "Why is your hair almost white?" Elsa lifted a hand to ruffle it through his outgrown locks of platinum hair.

Jack stared down at her and then leaned against the counter next to her. His arms crossed over his chest. "I don't know... I was born that way. My mom says I should have been born in somewhere cold. I could have blended in." He chuckled again, closing his eyes and leaning his head back. When he opened them again, he saw that she stood in front of him, swaying on spot.

"Maybe you should go to bed Elsa." He said softly, and lifted a hand to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. She froze as he touched her, her eyes widening. "Sorry." He whispered and made to move his hand. When he tried however, she lifted her own hand and grabbed it, pressing his palm against her cheek. She leaned into it, sighing inwardly at the feeling of his rough calloused hands against her soft skin. It felt familiar to her.

She stepped towards him, and he could almost feel her nervousness radiating from her. Unsure of what she was trying to do, he stood still. He froze as she reached up her hand, letting her fingertips trail over his scarred eyebrow once more. Elsa stood on her toes, and as the alcohol made her lose her inhibitions, she pressed her lips lightly against his. For a moment, she felt him relax against her, and his hand on her cheek moved to the back of her neck, pushing her closer to him. They kissed slowly, and tenderly until -

"Wait... wait." Jack pulled his head back, and she looked up at him, her eyes void of emotion. "I need to go Elsa... you're drunk, and you don't know what you're doing."

"But.." She began, and he watched her eyes began to show hurt inside of them, watering up. "I... i'm sorry. You're right.. Just let yourself out."

Elsa hurried away, disappearing into her room. He heard the door shut and let out a groan. Grabbing his cane, he limped out, ready to face the night as he walked home.


	6. Chapter 5: Breaking Barriers

A week had passed since the night of the dinner, and Jack had not heard from or seen Elsa. The day after he had returned, his parents had drilled him with questions about her, but all he would answer was that it was a delicious dinner, and he hoped to do it again sometime. His mother had given him a coy smile, and let the subject be.

She wasn't at the cemetery when he visited Jamie's grave, and when he hobbled past her house, she had her curtains closed. He knew she would have to see him at his physical therapy appointment, but to his surprise and disappointment, she wasn't his therapist that day. Jack wasn't sure if she was sick or if this was some attempt to avoid him since that awkward kiss, but he planned on finding out.

"So, _ah_... what was your name? Edmund?" He cringed in pain as a larger tattooed gentlemen bent his leg in places he was sure it wasn't supposed to go.

"Yea mate... Edmund." The man in scrubs replied in a heavy Australian accent. "Does that hurt?" Another bend.

"_AH_, yes. It does! Please stop doing it!" Jack exclaimed, his brow furrowing in annoyance at this man. "So..." He began after the man had rolled his eyes at him. "When is Elsa coming back?"

"She was here yesterday mate... switched her days and a couple of patients around. I'm your new therapist now."

Jack felt something going on in the pit of his stomach, like a brick had been dropped. So she _was_ avoiding him. Avoiding him so much that she made sure he wasn't her patient anymore. He finished the appointment without another word, something for which he was sure Edmund was grateful.

* * *

Jack stood in front of her house with her clothes she had lent him in his hand. It was now, or never, to find out what was going on. If he had made her uncomfortable, he wanted to apologize. If he hadn't, he wanted to figure out exactly what he had done wrong. He limped up the steps, pressing her doorbell and waiting. He waited, and waited for almost five minutes until finally the door opened slowly.

She stood there in a pair of black sweatpants and overly large t-shirt, her hair pulled back into a messy bun. Jack gave her a small wave and said, "Can we talk?"

With a sigh that sounded almost annoyed, she opened the door for him and in he went, surprised to see Anna sitting on the couch again. She sat with a mug of something in her hand, also in sweats and looked at Jack with both of her eyebrows raised. He saw her watching the two of them as they went into Elsa's bedroom, and she shut the door behind him.

"What is it Jack?" She said softly, sounding tired.

He furrowed his brow, confused. "Did I do something wrong?" He asked as he placed the folded clothes on her bed.

She looked uncomfortable and stepped away, facing her dresser. "No.. of course not, why would you think that?"

"Might have something to do with the fact that you made another person take me on as a patient. Now I have to deal with this big oaf torturing me. I don't understand... is it because of that kiss?"

She froze, and then turned quickly to face him, her face devoid of emotion. "What kiss?"

He let out a harsh laugh. "Come on Elsa... you know what kiss."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Ugh, fine! You don't understand Jack. I haven't tried to kiss anyone since he died. I was drunk yes, but I still tried to kiss you and you didn't want me to!"

"Didn't... want you to? Elsa, I didn't want you to do something you were going to regret in the morning." Jack sat on her bed, a reprieve for his leg. He lifted his hand, pushing his fingers through his blonde tendrils and shook his head.

He looked up at her to see her biting her lower lip, her eyes slightly wide. She let out a small sigh, and sat next to him on the bed. "I know.. you were just trying to be a gentlemen. I guess my feelings were hurt, but I was also scared." She drew her legs up to her chest, wrapping her arms around them.

Neither spoke. The silence continued for minutes until Jack felt her hand atop of his. "How did your therapy go?" She asked. "I know Edmund isn't the... nicest of people. His bedside manner isn't so great."

Jack scoffed. "It sucked... reminded me of the reason why I stopped going in the first place."

"You know... I mean... you could always.." Elsa sputtered, looking anywhere but at him. "You could stop going, and we can just do private sessions. Of physical therapy." She clarified.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that we could just do it at my house. There's a track down the road at the High School..."

"What do you get out of it?" Jack asked, narrowing his blue eyes. "The insurance doesn't exactly pay out that way."

She looked at him, her fingers fidgeting. "Well, since Anna has Kristoff now, it looks like I won't have as many cozy pajama nights with her drinking hot chocolate. So all I ask in return, is that you keep me company."

Jack didn't have to think about it, he held out a hand which she shook. He knew what it felt like to be lonely.

* * *

Jack did not inform his parents that he would no longer be attending his therapy sessions. He would simply tell them he was taking himself, and would find himself at Elsa's doorstep instead. After all, they wouldn't feel he was getting the best care spending time with a woman. Elsa, twice a week now, stood waiting at her door when she knew he was coming, ready to start the day.

On one of the nights he had promised Elsa he would be spending watching movies with her, he grabbed his rucksack full of his clothes and gave a happy, "See you mom and dad!" Out to his parents.

"Son, wait..." His father rushed after him as Jack stepped out of the house.

Jack turned, an expectant look on his face. "Yeah dad?"

"Are you going to... that girls house again?" His father asked, staring through his spectacles at his son. It seemed Jack had been home less and less in the past few weeks, and as they both noticed had a little more of a spring in his step.

Jack rolled his eyes, and turned walking away, his cane providing providing less support than he had needed in a while. "Yes dad... and no, it's not like _that..._"

* * *

Elsa sat already in her pajamas on the couch. Her legs, barely covered in a pair of sleeping shorts were curled beneath her. A snowflake patterned blanket lay over her shoulders covering the tank top beneath.

When she heard the door open she didn't even steal a glance away from the television, knowing already who it was. She heard the familiar noise of his cane being hung on the door handle when it shut, as well as the sound of his sneakers coming off and being pushed against the wall. It was only when she felt the cushions next to her deflate that she looked away from the movie and at her new found and dear friend.

"I'm surprised your parents haven't questioned where you keep going off to!" Elsa exclaimed, pausing the movie. She stared with adoration at Jack, inwardly thanking him for the companionship he had been providing her with for weeks. Most times she had tried to befriend a member of the opposite sex it ended up with him trying to make it into something more. Not Jack. He hadn't even spoke of their kiss they had shared, no did he do anything more than give her occasional hugs.

She lifted a stemmed glass to her face, taking a sip of the white liquid inside.

He lifted a brow. "Wine? Didn't you learn your lesson?" He nudged her smirking and stood, heading into the bathroom to change into his pajamas. He came out, dressed in a t-shirt with his sleeves cut off as well as a park of basketball shorts. He sat carefully on the couch, keeping his distance and noted the glass that was now sitting on his side. "Well thank you." She smiled at him in return.

"I figured that tonight..." Elsa began, "We could get to know each other a little better. We'll play the questions game. I figured the wine would loosen it up a little bit." She finished, smiling at his confused face.

"Hm. Okay. Who asks first?"

"I do, because you're in my home." Elsa turned to face him, crossing her legs beneath herself, and they began drilling each other with questions. He asked her about her childhood, about how she became a physical therapist, and she asked him why he joined the military, and what else he might want to do with his life.

It wasn't until about two hours had passed and the bottle of wine was done that they began asking more personal questions. He sat with one leg out, and his good one beneath him, and she sat across from him, trying to get the last drops from her glass.

"In the picture up there you look like you were pregnant... what happened?" He asked softly. He saw that her eyes closed and she took in a shuttering deep breath.

"I lost the baby.. all of the stress, I didn't really take care of myself. I tried to, but it was hard knowing he was gone." Elsa replied, and she shrugged not looking at him.

"I'm sorry Elsa... that must have been horrible." Jack moved on the couch and reached to her. She followed his lead and moved as well, placing her head on his shoulder so he could put an arm around her. He felt her shaking beneath his arm and felt wetness on his shirt.

"Losing people... it's hard. I've never lost a child but..." He began, and he rubbed her arm. "The grave... the man I said was like my brother, I watched him die in combat. I haven't been quite right since."

She lifted her head to look at him, and he saw the pain etched into her face. Perhaps it made her think of her husband, or perhaps she just felt that sorry for him. "We're both pretty messed up, huh?" She sniffed.

"Yeah. Yeah we are."

He watched as she moved from her spot to scoot closer to him. He froze as she took a deep breath and crawled onto his lap, placing a leg on either side of him.

"Elsa, what are you doing?" He said quietly. She simply stared at him, lifting her hand to run her fingers across his cheek. She felt the stubble that was growing, felt his hot breath on her hand. He watched her, his expression wary.

She leaned into him, cupped his face in her hands and pressed her lips against his. Without thinking, he put his arms around her and pulled her against him, his lips moving quickly against hers. Together they sat on the couch, kissing and nothing more than finally breaking a barrier that they had both put up for a very, very long time.


	7. Chapter 6: The Past

**A/N: Thank you all for your kind reviews! I love that YOU love this story! This chapter will focus more on Elsa than Jack, and more on her marriage to... well, you'll learn his name this chapter! (And, no, he's not a character from either movie.) **

* * *

Elsa sat at the diner next to the rehabilitation center with Anna sitting across from her. Every first Tuesday of the month they would serve the best chocolate cake, but before that, they would dine on Gyros and french fries. Anna, who had been babbling on about Kristoff and how he wanted to introduce her to his family, sat with chocolate on her lips unaware of her sisters nervous look on her face.

Elsa sat, her chocolate cake already done, an empty coffee mug sitting beside it. She wore her scrubs, dark blue, and her blonde hair was braided over her shoulder. She kept averting her large blue eyes when her sister would drone on and on about Kristoff but finally yelled, "I KISSED HIM!"

Her sister stopped, her fork midway to her mouth the chocolate cake atop of it falling comically to her plate. "What? Who?"

"Jack. I kissed Jack!"

Anna paused and lifted a brow, confusion setting in her features. "I... know. Remember? The night of the dinner?"

"No, no. I kissed him again last night. He's been spending time with me, and I had drank... and I kissed him. And I liked it." She let out a relieved breath that her sister knew. "I liked it, and I feel horrible about it."

"Why?" Anna took her final bite of her cake and reached forward, placing her hand on her sisters. "Andy would have wanted you to move on Elsa."

"Please don't..." Elsa whispered and she looked down, fighting to not let the tears out.

Would he have? She just didn't know.

* * *

After work, Elsa found herself in the cemetery once more, her sneakers padding softly against the grass. The cemetery lay empty, the sun slowly setting. She reached the tall stone and placed her fingertips atop of it, running along the rough stone.

She went to her knees and stared at the engravings on the face. She paid no attention to the tears running down her face and simply leaned back against the back of her feet, a frown on her face.

"Andrew..." She began softly. "I miss you... and I want you to know I will _never ever_ forget you but, I met someone. Someone really nice...and I feel like it's not okay to-" She stopped, the sound of the groundskeeper making her lift her head alert.

Elsa looked back to the stone and lifted a hand to wipe her eyes, her mind on the last conversation she had had with Andrew.

_"Elsa, come on, I won't be gone long." Andrew placed a finger beneath Elsa's chin lifting it so she could look him in the eye. Elsa smiled at him. This had been his dream, to stand in that uniform and serve his country._

_Elsa placed her hand on her stomach, the bump protruding from beneath her spring dress she wore. "I know, I'm just going to miss you. A year is a long time Andrew." She leaned into him. _

_"I'll be back before you know. Okay snowflake? Don't go off replacing me now.." He placed a kiss on her forehead making her feel warm inside. _

_"Oh yes, because any man would love a woman who's already pregnant." She giggled._

_He left. _

**_Four months later. _**

_"NO! NO! HE CAN'T BE!" She cried, her knees buckling, her father grabbing her to pick her up._

_The man at the door stood with a folded flag in his hands. She cried... she cried so much. _

_She shut down. _

**_One month later. _**

_The beeping in the hospital room kept up a steady pace. She had lost the baby. She had lost her true love, and lost their baby. She didn't even say anything when the doctors told her. She had known that morning when she awoke with such pain in her abdomen that she screamed. Anna sat at her bedside, reading from a book aloud. Her parents sat on the other side of her, a constant stream of tears falling from her mothers face._

_The last thing she had of him, was gone._

* * *

Elsa stood in her kitchen, the tears still etched into her face. She had spent almost an hour sitting in the cemetery, and had ignored the phone call that she had gotten from Jack. She knew he was supposed to come over tonight, but she couldn't talk to him; at least not while she was near his grave.

Her phone rang again and she stared at the name on the street 'JACK'. With a deep breath, she picked it up, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" She said.

"_Hi. Did you still want me to come over tonight?" _Came his voice from the other end.

"Um.." She said softly, "Actually... Can I come pick you up tonight? I want to do something."

"_Sure. My uh parents are home though. They might want to say hi._"

"That's fine. Wear some swimming trunks. I'll see you in about an hour. Bye Jack." She hung up the phone and took a deep breath. This house had too many memories of her and Andrew. Perhaps it was time to make some new memories.

* * *

The baby blue Chevy Cruze pulled up in front of Jack's home, and Elsa parked, getting out of the car. She wore shorts, her upper half hiding a bikini top beneath a black t-shirt.

She went to the door, knocked a few times and in just moments a shorter plump woman opened the door, smiling widely at her. She knew immediately it was his mother, as they shared the same facial features and same white hair.

"Peggy? Is that her?" A man followed quickly behind her, his glasses hanging off of the bridge of his nose. "Well let her in dear, she can't just stand outside!"

"OH! I'm so sorry sweetheart, come in, come in please!" The woman, Peggy, held out her hand to Elsa who shook it with a smile on her face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Frost, it's so nice to finally meet you." She commented, stepping inside of the house. She saw from the corner of her eye that Jack had come out of a room wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt and a pair of brown swimming shorts. He gave her a small wave and mouthed 'sorry' to her. She simply smiled at him, and continued on to shake his fathers hand.

"Us? It's so nice to meet _you_, the change you've made in our son dear girl... well, we can never thank you enough." Mr. Frost said quietly to her. She let her mouth fall slightly, taken aback.

"Alright, alright... let's go." Jack walked towards her, gave his mother and father a hug and proceeded to go out the door with Elsa in tow. "So," He began once in the car with her, his cane propped in between his seat and the center console. "Where are you taking me?"

She gave him a coy look, and just began to drive. They stayed quiet in the almost thirty minute drive, only speaking into the drive through window of a burger joint they had stopped by. While he sat finishing up a shake he had ordered, she finally pulled into a parking spot of a lot that was empty. His brow's raised with the last slurp of his shake and he slowly got out of her car, groaning a little as he stretched his leg.

"I don't understand..." He said slowly.

"Just come on."

They walked for only a few minutes, the road turning to sand and he heard the _whoosh_ of what sounded like water. In moments, he was able to see in the distance what looked like fire. He saw two figures sitting on the sand, and behind them were the waves of the ocean crashing down.

Elsa began to jog forward, waving a hand out. "Anna!" She yelled, and in return came the barking of a very large dog running in circles, presumably to catch whatever was flying around it.

Her redheaded sister stood from where she had sat on her boyfriends lap and came to greet them. She stood in a pair of unbuttoned shorts, her bathing suit bottom peaking out, and her top covered by a green bikini top.

"Jack!" Anna exclaimed and after giving her sister an 'I told you so' look, she sprinted towards him, wrapping him into a hug.

"Um, hi. Bonfire?" Trying not to stumble in the sand, Jack patted Anna on the back before looking at Elsa.

"Well, that... and I thought maybe we could go swimming." Elsa said, the coy look back on her face.

Jack gulped, his terror evident on his face

* * *

The water was just warm enough to be comfortable, and Elsa was already submerged neck deep. It seemed that Anna and Kristoff were craving some alone time, because they had disappeared behind some rocks some time ago, Kristoff's dog now laying quiet near the fire.

"Come on... this is _great_ therapy. Are you afraid or something?" Elsa said tauntingly.

Still trying to get the image of her in her string bikini out of his head, he just shook his head and began to move deeper into the water, jumping slightly each time he felt something brush his foot.

Finally, close to her he stretched out his legs, leaning onto his back and let out a relieved sigh. The water felt nice on his limbs. He felt her come next to her and she splashed a little water onto him, a small smile on her face.

"Hey... none of that." But he grinned either way. "So, why did you bring me here?"

"I wanted to swim."

"Elsa..."

"Okay, I needed to clear my head. Honestly. Kissing you last night was... a breath of fresh air. But I felt so guilty this morning." She said softly, wading in the water.

"You don't have to feel guilty, and you don't ever have to kiss me again if you don't want to. I'm your friend Elsa, i'm not trying to push you into something." He moved closer to her waded next to her.

"But...I want to kiss you again." Elsa said meekly, lowering her eyes to the water. "I felt awake. I want to feel that way again, but I know that I'm not ever going to... _get over _Andrew."

"Andrew... that was his name?" Asked Jack.

She nodded, and her grabbed her by the hand pulling her in the water to him. "Elsa, I would never ask you to do that. And I'm not ever going to try to replace him. But I can't say I don't want you in my life, friend, or more."

Elsa took a deep breath, and stared at him. In the moonlight, he looked almost ghostly, his blonde hair shimmering and his skin so pale it glowed. His shoulders glistened with water, his soft breathing barely heard over the sound of the waves pushing against them. She grabbed him by the shoulders, letting the water push her against him until they were pressed chest to chest. Her legs wrapped around his waist and she felt his hands move around her until they rested just above her bikini bottoms. She rested her forehead against his for a moment before leaning in and pressing her lips once more against his. Together they kissed in the water, their lips parting to deepen the kiss, their bodies moving with the waves.

The kiss quickened, and she grabbed onto either side of his face, pressing her body into his which he responded to with a soft groan into her mouth. His hands had reached onto her bottom, holding tight onto her. Their kiss continued until they heard a clap of thunder and in moments it began to pour onto them. They heard from a distance the screaming of Anna and Jack began to laugh.

"Come on.." Elsa said, giggling as well, and together they swam to shore.

* * *

Jack and Elsa both stepped into her house giggling and freezing. Their towels had been soaked and had offered little comfort in drying them. Elsa immediately went in her room to change and Jack stood at the door, a smile on his face. It had been a long time since he had smiled this much, and he knew it was her. He heard her door open and watched as she stepped out, her hair in a messy bun, her body covered in nothing but a white fluffy towel.

His eyes widened and his mouth opened. Her face looked nervous, and wary, but she still stepped towards him, and grabbed his hand. Without question, he followed her limping slowly from both the pain, and from confusion.

In her room, she stood, taking deep breaths and she let her towel slip to the floor. Jack tried his hardest to stare at her face, it was hard not to let his eyes skim down her curves. "What are you doing Elsa?"

With another deep breath, she walked towards him, grabbing his wet shirt and pulling it up. "I want you to spend the night with me Jack."

And without another word, he did.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, this is very clean (as it is rated T), if enough people wanted to read more about what happened the night between them, I would simply have to change the rating. It is up to my readers. :) **

**What, oh, what will happen next? :)**


	8. Chapter 7: Walking Away

**A/N: Hello there! Thank you all for the reviews (and to one reviewer, it was not offensive at all!) Let me explain myself, I do not feel they are rushing into a relationship, because well.. continue reading ;) Also, remember, this story has been over a span of weeks, not days, and when a girl feels vulnerable, well... **

**Enjoy this chapter, sorry it is shorter. The past two weeks I have been riddled with the stupid stomach flu :( **

* * *

Jack awoke to find himself alone. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he blinked to find himself in someone else's room. A few moments, and he was able to piece together that he was in Elsa's room. A small smile flitted onto his face. He slowly pushed the blankets off of him and reached for the swimming trunks that lay on the floor. He looked at the clock; 2:00 am. With a yawn, and a stretch, he found himself grabbing his cane and pushing the door open. The home was quiet, or at least it was until he heard a soft whimpering. He limped slowly until he found the source: Elsa sitting on the floor in the bathroom crying.

He took a deep breath and knocked on the door frame. "Hey..." He said softly. Her head shot up and she immediately grabbed a piece of toilet paper, wiping her nose.

"Hi..." She said in return, staring at the wall opposite him.

He sat opposite her, grunting as his leg protested. "Why are you crying Elsa?"

She took a shaky breath and covered her face. "Because, I took a chance... tried to just... get him out of my head. It was easy at first, but then I just couldn't stop thinking about him. I feel so guilty. This is not me, i'm sorry Jack." She sniffled from behind her hands.

Jack stared at her, his gut sinking a little. After all, no man wanted to hear that a woman was thinking about another man when they were intimate. However, he did understand, and simply stood, his face blank. He lifted a hand, running it through his blonde locks and sighed, shaking his head slowly.

"Elsa," He began, "I'm going to go home. This is just unhealthy for you." He watched as she looked up at him, tears etched into her face. "I love being around you, I really like you, but I can't keep seeing you upset, especially because of me."

"Jack, no..." She whispered, more tears staining her pale cheeks. "Please don't go... please..."

"I think it's just best right now that we have some time apart, and when you think you're ready... you know where I live, and you have my number." He leaned down, pressing his lips against the top of her head, and then disappeared from her bathroom, and out the front door, leaving Elsa alone on the floor.

* * *

**_Three Weeks Later_**

"I don't understand why you don't just call him." Mumbled Anna from her mug of hot chocolate. The television was muted, a stream of shows playing on screen. Elsa and Anna sat on the couch, curled up in their pajamas.

Elsa shrugged, looking at her mug, her marshmallows floating in and out of the brown liquid. The previous three weeks had been rough on her, and it was hard to admit to herself that she missed Jack. However, she knew that she wasn't in the right state of mind to have whatever he wanted, if that was even what he wanted.

"Elsa, you're always going on and on and on about wanting me to be happy. Now I am. Why can't you do the same? I know you have feelings for him. I know that you probably _enjoyed_ your time with it." She waggled her eyebrows, sticking her foot forward to nudge her sister with her toes.

"Anna, even if I called him right now... what am I going to say? Oh hey, sorry for telling you that I was thinking about another man while we were in bed together. OH, and for leading you on.. so sorry." Elsa said sarcastically, leaning back into the couch cushions.

"That's exactly how you can say it!"

"Anna..."

"Have you seen him at therapy?" Anna asked, her voice getting quieter.

"No. I even checked, he's not a patient..." The feeling of guilt that Elsa had knowing that he was no longer exercising or trying to get better was eating away at her. She knew that had he tried hard enough, and long enough, he could have been running. Now thanks to her, that wouldn't happen.

"Call him!" Anna pushed Elsa's cell phone towards her, her eye's narrowed.

Elsa raised a fine eyebrow at her sister. She snatched the cell phone from her sisters hand and stared at it, fingers sliding up the screen to find his name. She took a deep breath and pressed it, waiting to hear the ring on the other end.

* * *

Jack heard his mother from outside of his bedroom speaking with his father in hushed tones. It had been like this for weeks now. Each day, he awoke, ate, and disappeared into his room. After some hours, he'd come out, eat again, shower, then go back into his room.

_"He's worse than he was before..." _His mother said.

_"Give him time dear. He's dealing with a breakup." _His father tried to console her.

When he had returned that night, he had left a simple note sitting on the table to his parents: 'Didn't work out. Leave me alone.'

And like a sullen teenager, he had retreated into his bedroom to sleep off whatever this feeling was that he was having.

He groaned, turning over in his bed, his leg protesting. The springs sounded beneath him, and immediately his parents whispers ceased. He felt a buzzing beneath him and lifted his body to see his phone lighting up. The name _Elsa_ shown across the screen, and quickly he slid his finger over to the green pick up button.

"Hello?" Jack said.

"_Hi." _He heard her say quietly on the other end. They both stayed silent for a moment.

"Why are you calling me...?"

"_Um...I just wanted to apologize. For everything, leading you on... everything." _

"Oh."

_"Maybe we could meet for lunch soon?" _

"Yeah, maybe." Jack sighed, staring at his ceiling.

_"I'll pick you up tomorrow and take you to lunch, as my apology. Okay?" _

"Sure."

_"Okay Jack... bye." _

Jack pressed end on his phone, and threw it to the floor. He continued to stare at the ceiling, thoughts raising through his mind. Each time he saw her, he felt better, lighter on his feet. Then each time he was away from her, it felt like he was glued to the ground, buried in his memories and pain. It seemed she was the same way, but all of the time.

He sat up on the edge of the bed, staring down at his legs that looked only slightly more muscular than they had over two months ago. He knew though that not attending the therapy sessions anymore would make them waste away again. He let a finger drag over the bullet wound on his leg. He sat for what seemed like hours like this on his bed before laying back down. Slowly, he fell asleep, ready to face this lunch with her tomorrow.


End file.
